12.30.11-The Practice of the Presence of God

I received a book that I had ordered in the mail today. It is exactly what I needed to hear at the moment I needed to hear it. I need to worship God with my infirmities. I need to worship God even in my moments of pain or shear exhaustion. Here is just a bit of the reading..

The Practice of the Presence of God: Collected Thoughts by Brother Lawrence

"The Creator is the great teacher of truth...

Nothing can give us so great relief in the trials and sorrows of life as a loving relationship with God. When such is faithfully practiced, the evils that can assail the body will prove light to us.

God often ordains that we should suffer in the body to purify the soul and to constrain us to abide with Him. How can anyone whose life is hid with God, and whose only desire is God, be capable of feeling pain?

LET US THEN WORSHIP HIM IN OUR INFIRMITIES, OFFERING TO HIM OUR SORROWS WHEN THEY PRESS UPON US, AND ASKING HIM LOVINGLY AS CHILDREN THEIR DEAR FATHER TO GIVE US STRENGTH AND MOLD OUR WILL TO HIS."

Have you worshiped God in your painful moments? Because I know, I sure don't the majority of the time.

The book goes on to give brief prayers that are "very proper" for all sick persons, and prove a wonderful charm against sorrow. I can't speak for the entire human race, but I think my perception would be dramatically challenged if I would choose to practice and see God's presence no matter what the situation of the moment may be. Each thing should be drawing us closer to God, moment by moment, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute. He goes on to say that we should "Consecrate all yours to His love..Believe me, count as lost each day you have not used in loving God."

Practicing to choose to acknowledge God's constant presence is something I think we should all choose to do, especially when God gives us rough moments to teach us that He is constantly there.

Each moment should be bringing us closer to Him.

God knows what we go through daily, so why do we so often choose to not acknowledge Him and deny the opportunity to talk to Him about what we face?

He's our Creator! He knows us better than we know ourselves..

For me, whether sick or well, part of realizing God's presence is choosing to silence ourselves and silence the noises around us. The world around us is constantly blaring some kind of noise that silence often seems like it is not wise.. Only we know from Job that silence has a place in our lives (Job 13:5)

God is constantly present in our lives, but we fail to take notice alot of times. Why? I firmly believe that if we would slow down and quiet ourselves (and our lives), we would be in a better place to recognize God's presence and bask in His presence.

Some verses on God's presence:

Psalm 139:

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens,

you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths,

you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

Jeremiah 23:24

Can anyone hide in secret places

so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD.

"Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD